CHAPTER 32
Hearing the remarks of Golden Lion and others, the pirates on the deck fell silent for a few seconds before finally speaking up.
"The captains are right. If we seek enormous wealth, we must be willing to risk our lives!"
"We've already pledged ourselves to the Rocks Pirates—why should we fear death now? I fully support attacking the countries under the World Government!"
"Same here!"
"I support it as well!"
Rocks, standing at the bow, surveyed his gathered men with a satisfied smirk. "You all follow me, and I assure you, the rewards will be beyond imagination. Likewise, our pirate crew will carve its name atop the world itself! The so-called World Government? The so-called Naval Headquarters? Mere obstacles before my ambition!"
"Rocks!"
"Rocks!"
"Rocks!"
The pirates roared in unison, their voices echoing over the waves.
From his position leaning on the railing, Ayr listened to the declaration of war with a flicker of interest in his eyes. The decision to attack a World Government-affiliated country was no small matter, but the potential rewards were immense.
These allied nations were rich beyond measure, brimming with treasure and influence. As an official crew member, Ayr knew his share of the loot would be substantial. More importantly, there was a high probability of encountering rare Devil Fruits during the raid. If he could claim one, unlocking further power within Kurama's tails, his strength would soar even higher!
Without delay, Rocks barked his orders, and the ship shifted course toward its new target—Torres, one of the wealthiest allied nations in the New World.
---
Several Days Later
The Rocks Pirates' ship reached the shores of Torres under a crimson sunset, its sails billowing with the promise of destruction.
Rocks gave a simple order, and his men surged toward the kingdom's heart, eager to plunder. But as they neared the city's great walls, they encountered an unexpected sight.
Billowing black smoke curled into the sky, staining the horizon. The very air reeked of fire and death. Corpses littered the streets, rivers of blood pooling between the ruined buildings.
The devastation was absolute.
The Rocks Pirates—men who had stormed countless cities—found themselves momentarily stunned.
"What the hell…?"
"What happened here? Has a war broken out?"
"Impossible. Torres is a World Government-affiliated nation, under Marine protection. Who would be foolish enough to wage war against it?"
"Unless…" one pirate muttered, a chill running down his spine. "Unless they failed to pay their Heavenly Tribute and were targeted by another pirate crew before we even got here."
"That's ridiculous! Torres is one of the richest member nations! They wouldn't struggle to pay their tribute."
Confusion spread among the crew as they stood amid the ruined capital, trying to make sense of the carnage.
Golden Lion took a slow drag from his cigar, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "We won't get any answers standing here. Let's check inside the royal city."
A moment later, he used his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi ability to lift a secondary ship, carrying the entire Rocks crew over the towering walls and into the heart of the destruction.
As they landed, an unexpected sight met their eyes.
Another group of pirates was already within the city, looting and pillaging with reckless abandon.
---
A Clash Between Predators
The scene before them was chaos.
Buildings collapsed under the weight of the invading pirates.
Citizens screamed for mercy.
Blades flashed, gunfire echoed, and laughter rang cruelly over the destruction.
"Hahaha! This is why attacking a World Government nation is worth the risk! Look at all this treasure!"
"These riches will let us live like kings!"
The bloodthirsty pirates reveled in their rampage, unaware that they were now being watched.
Then, someone among them turned—and froze in terror.
They saw another group of pirates standing at the edge of the ruins.
More specifically, they saw the Rocks Pirates.
A cold silence swept over the battlefield.
The looters stopped mid-slaughter, their weapons trembling in their hands.
Even the most hardened among them paled.
"W-Wait… is that…?"
"Damn it all… that's Rocks D. Xebec!"
"The Rocks Pirates?! How the hell are they here?!"
"This was supposed to be our biggest heist… Why did we have to run into them?!"
Fear gripped them like a vice.
They had expected Marine retaliation.
They had prepared for local resistance.
But facing Rocks himself?
That was a death sentence.
---
The Captain of the Doomed
From the ranks of the looters, a man stepped forward.
Tall and battle-scarred, Gertrude, captain of the Gertrude Pirates, met Rocks' gaze with barely concealed dread.
He was no small-time outlaw—his bounty was a staggering 1.5 billion Berries. Among his crew, only one other pirate had reached the 1 billion mark, while the rest were merely fighters with bounties in the hundreds of millions.
But against Rocks?
He might as well have been a rookie.
"…Rocks," Gertrude muttered, forcing himself to remain composed. "Why are you here?"
Rocks chuckled darkly. "I should be asking you that. This nation was mine to plunder. You just happened to get here first."
A tense pause.
Then, Gertrude did the only thing he could think of to avoid annihilation.
"Rocks," he began, carefully choosing his words, "since we both had the same idea, why not split the spoils? We don't have to be enemies. How about an 80-20 split? You get 80%, we take 20%."
It was a desperate offer.
A blatant attempt to escape death.
Rocks' smirk widened. "An 80-20 split?"
Gertrude swallowed hard. "Yes, I—"
"I decline."
The words were absolute.
A dark aura flared around Rocks, his presence alone suffocating.
"I once offered you a place in my crew," Rocks continued. "You refused. I told you back then—the next time we meet, it will be your last."
Gertrude felt his blood run cold.
"Rocks, wait—"
"I don't negotiate with dead men."
Golden Lion chuckled. "The allied country belongs to us. The loot on your ship? Also ours."
Gertrude's face twisted with rage. "You're going too far, Rocks!"
"Going too far?" Rocks echoed, amused. "Pirates kill and plunder each other all the time. Today, it's your turn."
He turned slightly toward his crew. "Golden Lion, Big Mom, Whitebeard—you handle the looting. As for Gertrude…"
His gaze shifted to Ayr and Silver Axe.
"Ayr. Silver Axe. Take some men and seize the Gertrude Pirates' wealth. You two may claim any treasure that interests you first."
Silver Axe grinned. "Understood, Captain."
Ayr blinked, surprised at the favor Rocks was showing him, but nodded.
Rocks then faced Gertrude.
His voice was final.
"The Gertrude Pirates end here."
Gertrude's men screamed as the Rocks Pirates descended upon them.
And so, the battle for Torres truly began.
—